Podcast appearances and mentions of cyrus cylinder

Cyrus' exemplary leadership forged a patchwork of ethnicities into an empire that founded Persian rule in the Middle East, Professor Lynette Mitchell explains. Cyrus the Great (or the Elder) is known to many through the Cyrus Cylinder exhibit preserved in the British Museum, which tells us that he was chosen by God for his special virtues to become ‘king of the four corners of the world'.[1]  Indeed, he created a Persian empire that extended from the Greek communities of Asia Minor to the marches of India.  Ever since, virtues of a great strategic leader have been attributed to him, including by Xenophon who, as a Greek, might have been expected to be hostile to Cyrus' expansion. Instead, Xenophon took him as a model for the ideal leader in war and peace. Even today, the stories of his leadership are revered in management literature. But does the reality justify the acclaim? Professor Lynette Mitchell of the University of Exeter has discovered her interest in the life and achievements of Cyrus from her earlier research on Greek culture and customs, on which she has published widely. Her book, Cyrus the Great: A Biography of Kingship, was published by Routledge in 2023. [1] Irving Finkel (ed.): The Cyrus Cylinder: The King of Persia's Proclamation from Ancient Babylon. (London: I-.B- Tauris, 2013)

Mary welcomes back Israel expert Jim Fletcher to help us both celebrate and articulate what it means that this regathered nation is 77 years old this week. Today we talk about some significant prophecies in Ezekiel and Amos, and the absolute promises of God to regather and redeem Israel. For what purpose? Not only for His good pleasure, that His people are the apple of His eye, but for the reasons stated in Ezekiel 37: "That they may know...." There are 58 such mentions from Ezekiel 34-39 alone. It's for HIS Name's sake. Then we look at the Cyrus Cylinder and archaeology as apologetic. Who wrote Isaiah? If you have to ask, we will give an answer. Finally, we answer the the question, "What is Israel?" If churches won't teach prophecy because of a few who mishandle it, they could at least teach God's plan for Israel of the ages, which should build our faith. As Psalm 102:16 tells us, "For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory." Now THAT's glorious.  Jim's Israel blog is called "The God That Answers".   Stand Up For The Truth Videos: https://rumble.com/user/CTRNOnline & https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgQQSvKiMcglId7oGc5c46A

The boys discuss the Cyrus Cylinder, State mandated dating and the art of sleeping in

Before we begin our exegetical study of Isaiah 42, we travel back to 1879 and discuss the significance of the Cyrus Cylinder.

Before we begin our exegetical study of Isaiah 42, we travel back to 1879 and discuss the significance of the Cyrus Cylinder.

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history and reputation of the Persian ruler Cyrus the Great. Cyrus the Second of Persia as he was known then was born in the sixth century BCE in Persis which is now in Iran. He was the founder of the first Persian Empire, the largest empire at that point in history, spanning more than two million square miles. His story was told by the Greek historians Herodotus and Xenophon, and in the Hebrew bible he is praised for freeing the Jewish captives in Babylon. But the historical facts are intertwined with fiction.Cyrus proclaimed himself ‘king of the four corners of the world' in the famous Cyrus Cylinder, one of the most admired objects in the British Museum. It's been called by some the first bill of human rights, but that's a label which has been disputed by most scholars today.WithMateen Arghandehpour, a researcher for the Invisible East Project at Oxford University,Lindsay Allen, Senior Lecturer in Ancient Greek and Near Eastern History at King's College London,AndLynette Mitchell, Professor Emerita in Classics and Ancient History at Exeter University.Producer: Eliane GlaserReading list:Pierre Briant (trans. Peter T. Daniels), From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire (Eisenbrauns, 2002)John Curtis and Nigel Tallis (eds.), Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia (The British Museum Press, 2005)Irving Finkel (ed.), The Cyrus Cylinder: The King of Persia's Proclamation from Ancient Babylon (I.B.Tauris, 2013)Lisbeth Fried, ‘Cyrus the Messiah? The Historical Background to Isaiah 45:1' (Harvard Theological Review 95, 2002) M. Kozuh, W.F. Henkelman, C.E. Jones and C. Woods (eds.), Extraction and Control: Studies in Honour of Matthew W. Stolper (Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 2014), especially the chapter ‘Cyrus the Great, exiles and foreign gods: A comparison of Assyrian and Persian policies in subject nations' by R. J. van der SpekLynette Mitchell, Cyrus the Great: A Biography of Kingship (Routledge, 2023)Michael Roaf, Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East (Facts On File, 1990)Vesta Sarkosh Curtis and Sarah Stewart (eds.), Birth of the Persian Empire (I.B.Tauris, 2005), especially the chapter ‘Cyrus the Great and the kingdom of Anshan' by D.T. PottsMatt Waters, King of the World: The Life of Cyrus the Great (Oxford University Press, 2022)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio production

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history and reputation of the Persian ruler Cyrus the Great. Cyrus the Second of Persia as he was known then was born in the sixth century BCE in Persis which is now in Iran. He was the founder of the first Persian Empire, the largest empire at that point in history, spanning more than two million square miles. His story was told by the Greek historians Herodotus and Xenophon, and in the Hebrew bible he is praised for freeing the Jewish captives in Babylon. But the historical facts are intertwined with fiction.Cyrus proclaimed himself ‘king of the four corners of the world' in the famous Cyrus Cylinder, one of the most admired objects in the British Museum. It's been called by some the first bill of human rights, but that's a label which has been disputed by most scholars today.WithMateen Arghandehpour, a researcher for the Invisible East Project at Oxford University,Lindsay Allen, Senior Lecturer in Ancient Greek and Near Eastern History at King's College London,AndLynette Mitchell, Professor Emerita in Classics and Ancient History at Exeter University.Producer: Eliane GlaserReading list:Pierre Briant (trans. Peter T. Daniels), From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire (Eisenbrauns, 2002)John Curtis and Nigel Tallis (eds.), Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia (The British Museum Press, 2005)Irving Finkel (ed.), The Cyrus Cylinder: The King of Persia's Proclamation from Ancient Babylon (I.B.Tauris, 2013)Lisbeth Fried, ‘Cyrus the Messiah? The Historical Background to Isaiah 45:1' (Harvard Theological Review 95, 2002) M. Kozuh, W.F. Henkelman, C.E. Jones and C. Woods (eds.), Extraction and Control: Studies in Honour of Matthew W. Stolper (Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 2014), especially the chapter ‘Cyrus the Great, exiles and foreign gods: A comparison of Assyrian and Persian policies in subject nations' by R. J. van der SpekLynette Mitchell, Cyrus the Great: A Biography of Kingship (Routledge, 2023)Michael Roaf, Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East (Facts On File, 1990)Vesta Sarkosh Curtis and Sarah Stewart (eds.), Birth of the Persian Empire (I.B.Tauris, 2005), especially the chapter ‘Cyrus the Great and the kingdom of Anshan' by D.T. PottsMatt Waters, King of the World: The Life of Cyrus the Great (Oxford University Press, 2022)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio production

Just who was Mary Magdalene in the Bible? One touch from Jesus, and she was never the same. Her new mission was to serve the one who set her free. This week on The Land and the Book, you’ll meet Mary Magdalene through the research and imagination of Jill Eileen Smith. Then Charlie Dyer unwraps the mystery of the Cyrus Cylinder. Plus, we'll update you on all the big headlines from the Middle East--on The Land and the Book.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/landandthebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

本書是被擄遺民的回歸史，1-6章述所羅巴伯帶領首批回歸(約536BC)，重建聖殿；7-10章記以斯拉率領第二批回歸(約458BC)，教導律法。 1-4波斯王古列下詔允許猶大人回歸建殿。1｢古列｣：今譯居魯士或塞魯士。元年指他滅巴比倫(539BC)後的第一年，即538BC。｢應驗藉耶利米口所說的話｣：參耶25:8-12；29:10-14。2：古列一反巴比倫作風，將被擄的各族遣返原居地建其神廟。猶太人也在這宗教政策下受惠。今藏大英博物館的古列圓柱(Cyrus Cylinder)載有此詔。 5-11聖殿的器皿歸回耶路撒冷。8｢設巴薩｣：所羅巴伯的巴比倫名字。9-10節所列為重要器皿，總數為11節的5400件。

Cyrus Cylinder: A Comparative Approach This lecture is part of my series on Iranian history delivered at the Zoroastrian Cultural Center in California during the summer of 2019. Notes to this Episode: The Cyrus Cylinder is a barrel-shaped baked clay tablet, approximately 10 inches long, engraved in Babylonia in 539 BC. Discovered in the ruins of Babylon in present-day Iraq, the cylinder is inscribed in Akkadian Babylonian cuneiform, detailing Cyrus the Great's (601-530 BC) conquest of Babylon in 539 BC. Originally intended as a foundation deposit rather than for exhibition, it is not visually striking but serves as a significant document of statecraft. The cylinder reflects a long Mesopotamian tradition, dating as early as the third millennium BC, where monarchs began their reigns with declarations of reforms. The cylinder was found in March 1879. The great debate on the trustworthiness of Hebrew scriptures arose with the 1917 Balfour Declaration, 40 years after its discovery. There were two notable exhibitions in Tehran, one in 1971 and another in 2010, held under different circumstances. Cyrus claims: As a Persian King, I was called by Marduk, the Babylonian deity, to help the Babylonians, echoing narratives in the Old Testament. Marduk is neither a Persian nor an Iranian god, and the Akkadian language in which the cylinder is inscribed is not Iranian. If Cyrus intended to leave a legacy for Iranians, he would have had it written in Elamite, Old Persian, or at least Aramaic, the lingua franca of the Persian Empire. A modern analogy might be Napoleon's arrival in Egypt in 1798, or John F. Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in West Berlin on June 26, 1963, widely regarded as a pivotal moment in the Cold War. Cyrus and his genealogy, his deeds as evidence of legitimacy, ensured 200 years of stability until disrupted by Alexander. The Cyrus Cylinder is captivating due to Cyrus's unique strategy compared to other monarchs: - Ruler-faith constitution or ruler being hostile to religion. - Clemency, benevolence, generosity, and justice. - Multilingual, multiethnic, multireligious cosmopolitanism, or ‘multiculturalism'. The text is written in Babylonian Akkadian, not Persian, conveying the message: I am Babylonian; I appreciate your cultural, religious, and linguistic legacy. This stance contrasts with the Old Testament's Isaiah passage. Cyrus maintained an equidistance from religion, akin to a constitutional principle observed in India. While not akin to modern democracy, it was considered fair, as evidenced by even Iran's arch-enemies, the Greeks, who remembered him as a just and righteous king in Xenophon's *Cyropaedia*. Cyrus's exceptionalism is highlighted in the *Expedition of Cyrus* and *Cyropaedia*.

Incredible attestation to Scripture! God bless you and thank you for listening!

During this episode of the Red-Haired Archaeologist® Podcast, learn about the Neo-Babylonians' defeat by the Persian Empire and how that changed all exiles' lives; understand the differences between the terms “Hebrew,” “Israelite,” and “Jew”; and consider why Chronicles is critical to the re-development of Jerusalem in the 6th and 5th centuries. Episode links: Tablet from the Marushu Archive, Penn Museum: https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/372377 “cylinder,” British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1880-0617-1941 “Cyrus Cylinder,” Livius: https://www.livius.org/sources/content/cyrus-cylinder/ Jackson Landers, “How a German Archaeologist Rediscovered in Iran the Tomb of Cyrus,” Smithsonian Magazine (16 Feb 2016): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-german-archaeologist-rediscovered-tomb-cyrus-180958142/ “Bisotun,” UNESCO World Heritage Convention, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1222/ “naos; door,” British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA37496 Living in Exile Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3JAfqQvQ8U3kk6rKpnGAGz?si=69d5d722ab4845e4 Red-Haired Archaeologist® links: https://redhairedarchaeologist.com/free https://www.facebook.com/AmandaHopeHaley/ https://www.instagram.com/redhairedarchaeologist/ https://amandahopehaley.square.site/ Learn more about my fabulous video editor, Tanya Yaremkiv, by visiting her website at ⁠https://tanyaremkiv.com⁠ and listening to her podcast, Through the Bible podcast with Tanya Yaremkiv. You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram @tanyaremkiv.

As recorded in Scripture and The Cyrus Cylinder. Thanks so much for listening! Please leave a 5 star review, share and subscribe!

Isaiah celebrates the Persian king as God's annointed. Indeed Cyrus was the ruler who allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and even funded the rebuilding of the Temple. But, as we shall see, the prophet here is commenting on what is now known as the "Cyrus Cylinder", a text that attributes Cyrus's poer to the Persian God., Marduk. Isaiah uses identical language to affirm that God is the exclusive master of history, and it is God and God alone, who will return the Jewish people to their land.

An ancient clay artefact that dates back to the 6th century BCE, the Cyrus Cylinder is often considered one of the most important documents in history. Covered in Akkadian inscriptions that provide invaluable insight into the reign of Cyrus the Great - it focuses on Cyrus's conquering of Babylon and attempts of religious restoration. So where was this irreplaceable object found, and what else does it tell us about Cyrus the Great?In this bonus episode of our Babylon mini-series, Tristan welcomes Dr Irving Finkel from the British Museum, to help decode this incredible object. Looking at the religious messages, the description of Cyrus himself, and what it tells us about Babylon - what can we learn about the Achaemenid Empire and it's political legacy?Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Voice Over performed by Toby Ricketts.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DONATE: https://evidence4faith.org/give/ MARINE BIOLOGY: https://evidence4faith.org/marinebiology/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Watch the entire series here: https://evidence4faith.org/portfolio/christianbasics/Fortune telling today is as popular as it was in antiquity. But the attentive observer will note that predictions tend to be vague to retrofit events more easily. Their prophets also tend to have imperfect track records. The Bible is one of the only religious books to contain a multitude of prophecies about world events, and specific instruction on how to verify the credentials of a prophet. This lesson provides an overview of Old Testament prophecies, when they were written, and when they were fulfilled. Daniel in the Critic's Den by Josh McDowell: https://archive.org/details/danielincriticsd00mcdo/page/n9/mode/2upWatch the Cyrus Cylinder: https://evidence4faith.org/portfolio/archaeologyofdaniel/#session5MUSIC CREDITS: Stock Music provided by mv_production, from Pond5PHOTO CREDITS: Thumbnail photo by Spencer Davis on UnsplashTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Ministry Introduction1:30 Overview of Fortune Telling10:28 The Biblical view on prophecy13:20 Daniel 2;31-3322:14 Ezekiel 29;13-1525:36 Ezekiel 25;12-1428:56 Ezekiel 26;3-1437:10 Nahum 1;1439:33 Isaiah 13;1942:41 Isaiah 44;2844:50 Wrap-up#bible #apologetics #history #prophecy #evidence4faith #faith #defendthefaith #spirituality #christian #christianity #fortunetelling #future-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WEBSITE: https://evidence4faith.org/NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/hpazV5BOOKINGS: https://evidence4faith.org/bookings/CONTACT: Evidence 4 Faith, 5821 Bear Trail, Rhinelander WI 54501 , info@evidence4faith.orgMy goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Colossians 2:2-3

Join us in Israel: https://evidence4faith.org/2023israel/ (https://evidence4faith.org/2023israel/) Reference this lesson and find out more here: https://evidence4faith.org/portfolio/archaeologyofdaniel/ (https://evidence4faith.org/portfolio/archaeologyofdaniel/) In 1979 the British Museum conducted a dig at the ancient city of Babylon where they found a plethora of clay cylinders covered in writing. These could be considered old library books with important historical records about the city, its rulers, and major events. This cylinder and the works of the historian Josephus help us piece together a picture of the rise and reign of Cyrus. The Bible also contains an account of the reign of Cyrus. How well do these stories match? Can the Bible be trusted as a source of history? Enjoyed this content? Help us keep it free by donating online at https://evidence4faith.org/give/ (https://evidence4faith.org/give/) Evidence 4 Faith is a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry based in the USA. MUSIC CREDITS: Stock Music provided by https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/48170776-memories-deep-melancholic-ambient-rhythmic-technology-electr (mv_production), from https://www.pond5.com/ (Pond5) WEBSITE: https://evidence4faith.org/ (https://evidence4faith.org/) NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/hpazV5 (http://eepurl.com/hpazV5) BOOKINGS: https://evidence4faith.org/bookings/ (https://evidence4faith.org/bookings/) or email april@evidence4faith.org CONTACT: Evidence 4 Faith, 5821 Bear Trail, Rhinelander WI 54501 , info@evidence4faith.org FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/E4Fofficial (https://www.facebook.com/E4Fofficial) INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/evidence4faith/ (https://www.instagram.com/evidence4faith/) GAB: https://gab.com/evidence4faith (https://gab.com/evidence4faith) My goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Colossians 2:2-3 #cyruscylinder #cyrus #persians #kingcyrus #daniel #apologetics #josephus #bible #biblicalhistory #ancienthistory #babylon #apologetics #christian #christianity #faith #artifact #archaeology #biblicalarchaeology

In this episode, /u/EnclavedMicrostate talks with Trevor Culley about the Cyrus Cylinder, an inscription dictated by the first ruler of the Persian Empire. Aside from the text of the cylinder and its historical context, also discussed is the use of the cylinder in modern Iranian nation-building. 48 mins.

This amazing find, a clay cylinder about 9 inches long, dates to 539 BC, and gives the Persian King Cyrus policy of repatriation of captive people, and allowing them to rebuild their Temples. God bless you! Appreciate you listening so much! Keep joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Zondervan's new book Why is there suffering? by Bethany Sollereder.Download the transcript for this episode here.Meet our GuestThe Rev Dr George AthasGeorge is Director of Research and Lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew at Moore Theological College in Sydney.Featured MusicMichael Levyis a composer for the lyre. His music is a blend of some original ancient melodies and some of his own creations. His arrangements for solo lyre are based on reconstructions of some of the incredibly rare, actual surviving written music of antiquity. We played two of these reconstructions in our episode, with permission: Ma Tovu and Kandel's Hora. You can find out more about Michael's work, and listen to more of his music at ancientlyre.com.Yamma Ensemble is an Israeli world music group who have a beautiful love of the Hebrew language and ancient instruments. We played parts of their live recordings of Psalm 104 (see below) and also a track featuring the ancient Shofar, based on the Mi'mekomcha, a Jewish prayer. All music used with permission. Links Here's a basic timeline of Jerusalem that might be helpful to get your bearings. Watch Alexander, the 2004 biopic we reference at the top of the ep. Though, to be honest, it really wasn't very good. Get the Oxford Classical Dictionary here. Read a little more about George Athas's upcoming book Bridging The Testaments (Zondervan Academic) in this article he wrote for Eternity News. Read George's PhD thesis, The Tel Dan Inscription (Sheffield Academic Press) which focused on the amazing 1993 discovery in Galilee of an inscription mentioning the dynasty of king David (of David and Goliath fame) - it's likely the first mention of David outside the Bible.  Here's an interesting New York Times article about Jewish communities in Myanmar and India who claim to be descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. Find out more about the archaeological evidence we have for the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple ('the first temple') by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Take a look at the Cyrus Cylinder, housed in the British Museum, which features an inscription mentioning how wonderful the Persian King Cyrus is, of course, but also that he allowed certain subjugated peoples - like the Jews - to return to their homelands and restore their own temples. So, what's The Talmud? Here's an introduction. The Jewish Virtual Library has a heap of maps from this period, so you can see stretch of the Assyrian Empire, the Babylonian Empire, the Persian Empire, the Hellenistic World and the Herodian Kingdom. You might like to check out the 1998 documentary In The Footsteps of Alexander to get a good overview of Alexander The Great. Get to know more about Ben Sira. This YouTube discovery - a Maccadean/Hamilton mash up - made Producer Kaley's day. Read more from Josephus on The Jewish War and Antiochus IV Ephiphanes persecution of the Jewish people. Meet the High Priest Simon (also called 'Simon the Just')  Then, meet Antipater, the Roman-friendly governor of Judaea and founder of the Herodian Dynasty (father of Herod The Great) And then, of course, there's Herod I The Great, who was later made King of Judaea by the Romans. Take a look at Herod's Temple, the 'Second Temple'.And also, this article about the engineering feat of the temple and those massive foundation stones. Josephus records:  Herod announced, "I know the Jews will greet my death with wild rejoicings; but I can be mourned on other people's account and make sure of a magnificent funeral if you will do as I tell you. These men under guard — as soon as I die, kill them all…." Salome disobeyed, and released the prisoners when Herod died, Josephus added. Herod died a very painful death, and his symptoms were recorded in detail. Read this article for more gross details after Jan Hirschmann, professor of medicine at the University of Washington, in Seattle, analysed his symptoms and gave her own diagnosis in 2002 (article from The New Scientist) Who wrote Ecclesiastes? Read this analysis from Zondervan Academic and John Walton. This is a really indepth article on the challenges in dating the Book of Daniel, from The Gospel Coalition. Here's the verse in the Book of Jude that references the apocryphal text 1 Enoch. Here's what John Dickson said about that reference in the episode: "This isn't necessarily because Jude thought 1 Enoch was Old Testament Scripture - it wasn't! - but he did think it made an excellent theological point - about the coming judgment of God - and so it was worth citing with approval. " Here are some readings from the so-called 'intertestamental texts':  From the Book of 1 Maccabees:1Mac. 4:30-43   When he saw that their army was strong, he prayed, saying, “Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and gave the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan son of Saul, and of the man who carried his armor. 31 Hem in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry. 32 Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. 33 Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns.”1Mac. 4:34   Then both sides attacked, and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men; they fell in action.a 35 When Lysias saw the rout of his troops and observed the boldness that inspired those of Judas, and how ready they were either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries in order to invade Judea again with an even larger army.Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple1Mac. 4:36   Then Judas and his brothers said, “See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.” 37 So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 38 There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. 39 Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes 40 and fell face down on the ground. And when the signal was given with the trumpets, they cried out to Heaven.1Mac. 4:41   Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary. 42 He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, 43 and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. From the Book of 1 Enoch:1Enoch 1:1-10 - The word of blessing of Enoch, as he blessed the elect and righteous, who will be present in the day of distress, when all the enemies are removed, and the righteous will be saved. 2 And he took up his parable and said: “Enoch is a righteous person, to whom a vision from God was opened to him, having the vision of the Holy one and of the heaven. It was shown to me, and I heard the holy messengers, and as I heard from them everything and understood I saw, but I was not considering the present generation, but I speak to one being distant. 3 and concerning the present elect I said, and concerning them I raised my parable: My great holy one will go forth from his habitation, 4 and the God of eternity will walk upon the earth, upon Mount Sinai and he will appear from his camp, and he will appear in the power of his might from the heaven of heavens. 5 And all will be afraid and the Watchers will believe, and they will sing hidden things to all the heights of the [earth]. And all the heights of the earth will shake, and trembling will take hold of them and great fear up to the ends of the earth. 6 And the mountain will be shaken and will fall and will be scattered, and the high and lofty mountains will be brought low, to be passed, and they will melt as wax before a fire in flame. 7 And the earth will be torn asunder (into) a split crevice, and all that is on the earth will be destroyed, and judgment will be upon all. 8 And with the righteous he will make peace, and upon the elect will be preservation and peace, and mercy will be given to them, and all will be of God, and he will give approval to them and he will bless all, and he will take hold of all, and he will help me, and light will appear to them and upon them he will make peace. 9 He comes with his myriads and with his holy ones, to make judgment against all, and he will destroy all the ungodly, and convict all flesh about all works of their ungodliness which they in an ungodly way committed and the harsh words which they have spoken. From Ben SiraBen Sira 2:1-18. My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing. 2 Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of calamity.3 Cling to him and do not depart, so that your last days may be prosperous.4 Accept whatever befalls you, and in times of humiliation be patient.5 For gold is tested in the fire, and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation. 6 Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him.7 You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not stray, or else you may fall.8 You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost.9 You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. 10 Consider the generations of old and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed? Or has anyone persevered in the fear of the Lord and been forsaken? Or has anyone called upon him and been neglected?11 For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of distress.12 Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who walks a double path!13 Woe to the fainthearted who have no trust! Therefore they will have no shelter.14 Woe to you who have lost your nerve! What will you do when the Lord's reckoning comes?15 Those who fear the Lord do not disobey his words, and those who love him keep his ways.16 Those who fear the Lord seek to please him, and those who love him are filled with his law.17 Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts, and humble themselves before him.18 Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, but not into the hands of mortals; for equal to his majesty is his mercy, and equal to his name are his works. From the Dead Sea Scrolls, the so called Messianic Apocalypse which was discovered in Cave 4 at Qumran (scrolls were scattered across eleven caves at the site). Though fragmentary, the passage powerfully expresses the Jewish hope for a Messiah, an eternal kingdom and the healings and good news promised centuries earlier by the prophet Isaiah:"… the earth will listen to his anointed one (mashiach /messiah) [and all] that is in them will not turn away from the precepts of the holy ones … For he [the Lord] will honour the pious upon the upon the throne of an eternal kingdom, freeing prisoners, giving sight to the blind, straightening out the twis[ted.] … And the Lord will perform marvellous acts such as have not existed, just as he sa[id,] [for] he will heal the badly wounded and will make the dead live, he will proclaim good news to the poor." 4Q521. OK... now, who are the Essenes?  The Sadducees? The Pharisees? The Zealots? Read again Luke 4:16 - 21:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.  And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed meto proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captivesand recovering of sight to the blind,to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19  to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Persian “Messiah”(Isa. 44:26–45:6)What stunning prediction appears in Isaiah 44:26–45:6?Isaiah’s ministry lasted from about 745 b.c. to about 685 b.c. After men-tioning a conqueror from the east and from the north (Isa. 41:2, 3, 25) andimplying that this was to be good news for Jerusalem (Isa. 41:27), Isaiahaccurately predicted Cyrus by name and described his activities. He didcome from north and east of Babylon and conquer it in 539 b.c.; he didserve God by releasing the Jews from their Babylonian exile; and he didauthorize the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 1).Put this prediction into perspective. Since there are about onehundred forty-six years from the time of Isaiah’s death to the fall ofBabylon, his prophecy was a century and a half ahead of its time. Itwould be like George Washington predicting that a man named GeneralDwight Eisenhower would help liberate Europe in 1945!Because the actions of Cyrus are well attested from a variety ofancient sources, including Babylonian chronicles, his own report in the“Cyrus Cylinder,” and the Bible (2 Chron. 36:22, 23; Ezra 1; Daniel5; Dan. 6:28; Dan. 10:1), the accuracy of Isaiah’s prophecy is beyonddispute. This confirms the faith of people who believe that true proph-ets receive accurate predictions from God, who knows the future far inadvance.Why does God call Cyrus “His anointed”? (Isa. 45:1)The Hebrew word for “anointed” here is the word from which weget the word Messiah. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, this word couldrefer to an anointed high priest (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; Lev. 6:22), an anointedIsraelite king (1 Sam. 16:6; 1 Sam. 24:6, 10; 2 Sam. 22:51), or theMessiah, a future ideal Davidic king and deliverer (Ps. 2:2; Dan. 9:25,26). From Isaiah’s perspective, Cyrus was a future king, sent by Godto deliver His people. But he was an unusual messiah, because he wasnon-Israelite. He would do some things the Messiah would do, such asdefeat God’s enemies and release His captive people, but he could notbe the same as the Messiah, because he was not descended from David.By predicting Cyrus, God proved His unique divinity by demonstrat-ing that He alone knows the future (Isa. 41:4, 21–23, 26–28; Isa. 44:26).He also reached out to Cyrus: “I will give you the treasures of darknessand riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, theLord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name” (Isa. 45:3, NRSV).Think about some other Bible prophecies that have come to passas predicted (such as all the kingdoms of Daniel 2 except the last,Daniel 7, or regarding the time of Christ in Daniel 9:24–27). Whatkind of hope do these prophecies offer us as individuals?

With this video we start a series of programs and podcasts all dealing with ancient Persia and the beginnings of the Achaemenid Persian Empire of Cyrus II, better known to the world as Cyrus the Great. We'll first take a quick look at the history of the region around the time when the first Iranian tribes entered the region, followed by the Medes and how they laid the groundwork for the rise of one of history's greatest rulers, Cyrus the Great, founder of Persian Achaemenid Empire. We'll also examine a good deal of the primary sources (such as the works of Herodotus, Babylonian chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, etc.) that help us to put together a better picture of who Cyrus was. You will not want to miss this episode!Follow History with Cy:YouTube ChannelInstagramFacebookTwitterWebsite Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/historywithcy)

We continue our series of conversations on the ancient world by looking East and the first global empire of Persia. The first ruler Cyrus the Great, brought by conquest or gentler mean a dominion stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Hindu Kush and encompassing some tens of millions of people.  Acclaimed for ruling with a light hand in an efficient and benign fashion and introducing chivalry to warfare. It is believed that Cyrus the Great produced the “Cyrus Cylinder”, the first human rights bill which portrays a very modern way of ruling with pluralism and tolerance at its core. Guest:  Reza Zarghamee is and environmental lawyer and history author. He is the author of acclaimed book Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World (Iran's Age of Empire). Support KPFA. Please Donate Today! Book: The Odyssey by Homer. Translated by Emily Wilson  $100. USB Letters & Politics: The Ancient History Pack (Over 30 interviews) $180   The post Fund Drive Special – Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World appeared first on KPFA.

Cyrus the Great has finally completed his conquests in our narrative. I break down the Cyrus Cylinder, the official record of what he did next, one section at a time. In this episode, I shamelessly take advantage of current events and link Persian history to both Easter and Game of Thrones. Listen and explorer official Persian propaganda, an expanding royal family, the historic and religious legacy of Cyrus, and all the titles of the Persian King. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/history-of-perisa/support

On this Purim, we turn to Robert Alter’s excellent new translation, Strong as Death Is Love: The Song of Songs, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, and Daniel. Robert Alter writes that the Book of Esther, unlike any other book of the Bible, seems to have been written primarily for entertainment. Alter notes: “It has variously been described as a farce, a burlesque, a satire, a fairy tale, and a carnivalesque narrative, and it is often quite funny, with sly sexual comedy playing a significant role. The portrait of King Ahasuerus and the Persian court makes no pretense of serious correspondence to historical reality, as the original audience surely must have known. The Persian emperors were famous for their tolerance toward ethnic minorities—a policy clearly enunciated in the Cyrus Cylinder—and so Ahasuerus’s accepting Haman’s plan to massacre all the Jews of the realm is a manifest fantasy.” Text: Strong As Death Is Love: The Song of Songs, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, and Daniel, A Translation with Commentary. W. W. Norton & Company.

Neil MacGregor’s Living with the Gods was an award-winning Radio 4 series, and has now been made into a book of the same title. To bring things full circle, I sat down with him to turn the written word back into the spoken one; we talked about the relationship between art and religion, how religion is a more a way of creating meaning than explaining the universe, and what MacGregor liked to look at in the British Museum when the doors were closed and he was on his own with the keys. After a Calvinist upbringing, where objects are often thought to be a threat to religious faith, MacGregor has come to be the foremost expositor of the rich cultural material produced by religious belief. In our conversation, he ranged widely: from the Cyrus Cylinder to the 40,000 year old Lion Man to the Mummies of Peru, to the decorative pointer, the Yad, with which Plymouth Jews used to read the Torah. It was a real joy to chat with him. Here is the podcast.

A lecture in Persian by Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, Depts. of History and Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto

Leta Bushyhead, Asian Art Museum Storyteller, tells a story about the Cyrus the Great in front of the Cyrus Cylinder at the Asian Art Museum.

Broadcaster Francine Stock chooses the Iranian film The Apple. Plus archive interviews with Samira Makhmalbaf and Ali Samadi Ahadi and a clip of John's report from Iran about The Cyrus Cylinder.